Ijaw youths urge Bayelsa politicians to obey zoning

Ijaw youths, under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, yesterday supported Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson.

They urged Federal lawmakers and other politicians in the state to obey zoning.

IYC President Udens Eradiri said it was wrong for Federal lawmakers to say that the principle of zoning was formulated by the Dickson administration to deny them a re-election.

Eradiri noted that incumbent lawmakers “rode on the back of zoning” to the National Assembly while the arrangement had led to the even distribution of political offices in the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The youth leader said zoning was meant to promote peace, equity and fairness.

He x-rayed the performance of federal lawmakers, adding that they had disappointed their constituencies, despite serving many years in the National Assembly.

According to him, the senators have not attracted any developmental projects to their various constituencies.

Eradiri advised them to return home and allow their constituencies to try fresh hands.

He said: “We have seen senators who went to the National Assembly and did not discuss anything concerning Bayelsa State in the two terms they served.

“All the budgets they passed for eight years had nothing about Bayelsa. So, what are they going there to do again? All of them benefited from zoning. Why is it that now, after they have tasted the sweetness, they don’t want to leave?”

The IYC leader said the group would resist any form of imposition of candidates on the people to ensure that peace prevailed.

He said: “If these politicians love Bayelsa State, they should have discussed the Oporomo, the Nembe/Brass road in the National Assembly, to ensure that it was reflected in the budget.

“For us, we are supporting the zoning arrangement so that those other zones, including Kolokuma, which has not benefited, should produce the senator this time. Otherwise, it would be an injustice to the people of Kolokuma.”